Affable Aussie aims to exit F1 on a high

Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit – Mark Webber speaking to reporters in Sao Paulo ahead of his final Formula One race at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Paddock life – "I wouldn't say I'm happy in the Formula 1 paddock," Mark Webber told CNN. "It's an environment that's not always real. You can click your fingers for food, for whatever you want really. But for me, I always try to ensure that I treat people as I'd treat myself.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Pole in the Principality – Mark Webber led the way from pole on the way to his eventual victory at the Monaco Grand Prix -- his first win of the season.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Monaco moment – Webber takes a post-race dip as the Red Bull team celebrate another Monaco GP triumph in May. It was the second time in three years that Webber had won the sport's prestigious race.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Champagne supernova – Red Bull's Australian driver Mark Webber celebrates after winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone -- his second victory of the 2012 season. The Australian held off Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in a close battle to win the race.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Red Bull's golden boy – Webber is very much the understudy to double world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is seemingly on his way to a third consecutive world title.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Red Bull politics – Vettel has long been nurtured by Helmut Marko, titled a motorsport consultant at Red Bull but the eyes, ears and mouth piece of team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, and a figure Webber has not always seen eye to eye with.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Red Bull reward – Two days after his second win of the season at Silverstone in the British Grand Prix, Webber penned a new deal with Red Bull Racing, extending his contract with the team to the end of the 2013 season.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Ferrari interest – Before extending his Red Bull contract, Webber had talks with Ferrari over a possible switch to the Italian team. "Ferrari approached us first," said the Australian. "Things happen for a reason and it feels I'm staying here for the right reason. We made the decision just before Silverstone when both teams seemed pretty interested. I'm happy with that decision."

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

On your bike – Webber's first love was for motorbikes, and he used to race them as a youngster, before turning to go-karts when he was a teenager.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

It's go time – Webber switched to karting as a 14-year-old and the move paid instant dividends as he won his state championship in New South Wales. The Australian describes the medium as "very raw."

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Big break – Webber started off in Formula One as a test driver for the former Bennetton team in 2001 and got his big break in the form of a race seat with Minardi the following season.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Straight from the kart – Webber still looks fondly upon his time as a go-kart driver and recently took to the seat again as part of the Red Bull Kart Fight event in Japan.

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Mark Webber: From kart to cockpit14 photos

Home is where the kart is – Webber says: "Karting is the best way for you to get a feel of how to race each other, dealing with the competition, dealing with winning, dealing with losing and you soak it up so much at a young age and learn very fast."

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Story highlights

Popular Australian preparing for final F1 race at Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday

Red Bull driver looking to end a 12-year, 215-race career with a third win at Interlagos

The 37-year-old has won nine Grand Prix and been on the podium 41 times

There aren't too many tracks where Mark Webber can claim bragging rights over Sebastian Vettel but Interlagos is one of them.

The Australian, who bows out of Formula One at Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, is a double winner (2009 and 2011) at the famous old Sao Paulo track while his Red Bull teammate can only claim a solitary triumph back in 2010.

Many eyes will be on the German world champion as he looks to equal Alberto Ascari's 60-year record of nine consecutive race wins, but there will be others who will be quietly willing the Australian to a third victory at Interlagos in his 215th and final race.

"I think on Sunday it'll be a little bit different but it still feels like a normal race at the moment," Webber said Thursday.

"I'm looking forward to Sunday in many ways, in terms of pushing for a good result."

Webber, who is bringing the curtain down on a 12-year F1 career to pursue sportscar racing with Porsche, says he thinks it's the right time to bow out.

Webber's 12-year career has included nine victories and 41 podiums and he has twice finished third in the drivers' championship, coming closest to the title in 2010 when he finished 14 points behind eventual winner Vettel.

The 37-year-old said he would miss the challenges and enjoyment of racing at circuits like Suzuka in Japan, Belgium's Spa and Monaco -- the other track where Webber has a brace of wins (2010, 2012) -- but it is time to move on.

"It's inevitable that you're going to miss certain parts. The adrenaline and working with people like Adrian Newey (Red Bull's Chief Engineer), you don't get to do that very often. But there comes a time when you've got to let go. I'll still have good adrenaline next year with Porsche and that'll be a good balance."